Help unable to shift into 4H or 4L

[Agktown162]

Recently I have been unable to shift into 4H or 4L. I am getting power all the way to shift motor and hearing clocks in dash when trying to engage. I tried a junk yard shift motor with no success. My next plan is to buy a new one. Do I need to reconnect the speed sensors?
I’ve already done brown wire mod and don’t use a4wd much.
Also have abs light randomly coming on not sure if that could cause any issues with 4x4

 

[Brian Meek]

I've just done some research on the BWM and found conflicting reports of 4H & 4L working with BWM switched off. In this post of the "main" BWM thread in this forum, @Mediamonkey11 says 4H & 4L work fine with the brown wire simply cut (or spliced switch turned off).

But in this thread on Ford-Trucks.com, forum moderator Alloro, who appears to know his shit and owns a 2001 Navigator, insists that with an open brown wire (or BWM switched off), there's no 4x4 regardless of what's selected (4H, 4L or A4WD).

 

[Yupster Dog]

But in this thread on Ford-Trucks.com, forum moderator Alloro, who appears to know his shit and owns a 2001 Navigator, insists that with an open brown wire (or BWM switched off), there's no 4x4 regardless of what's selected (4H, 4L or A4WD).

On a 1 gen with AWD,
The brown wire switch only stops the AWD and can be open or closed. Either way will have no effect on putting the truck in 4H or 4L.

 

[Brian Meek]

On a 1 gen with AWD, the brown wire switch only stops the AWD and can be open or closed. Either way will have no effect on putting the truck in 4H or 4L.

OK then. Thank you! Sounds like doing the mod is a no-brainer for everyday fair-weather driving. Right?

 

[Yupster Dog]

Sounds like doing the mod is a no-brainer for everyday fair-weather driving. Right?

In my opinion
It is not needed at all since everything spins no matter what you do.
I never had problems with AWD have drove with it on all the time.

Unless you want to do doughnuts, that is the only reason i see for doing it.
In my opinion

 

[Agktown162]

Do the speed sensors effect 4H or 4L?

 

[Agktown162]

In my opinion
It is not needed at all since everything spins no matter what you do.
I never had problems with AWD have drove with it on all the time.

Unless you want to do doughnuts, that is the only reason i see for doing it.
In my opinion

Well I switched out shift motor and no luck. I’m not getting a click anymore in dash. I guess next I will test to see if I’m getting power from gem through orange and yellow wires

 

[Agktown162]

In my opinion
It is not needed at all since everything spins no matter what you do.
I never had problems with AWD have drove with it on all the time.

Unless you want to do doughnuts, that is the only reason i see for doing it.
In my opinion

Also I should mention I’m getting clicking sound from transfer case relays when I turn key to on position and right after startup

 

[Yupster Dog]

Do the speed sensors effect 4H or 4L?

Do I need to reconnect the speed sensors?

Everything should be put back in and reconnected.

 

[Agktown162]

After digging through dash I found shift relay and both joints going to shift motor look bad